Nourishing body, mind and spirit: yoga and holistic wellness is on the rise in Leelanau
By Shelley Smith
Sun contributor
It’s 6 a.m. on a chilly March morning, and Leelanau County residents are filtering into a warm candlelit room for mysore ashtanga yoga. They quietly roll out their yoga mats and begin to move and breathe in a meditative flow. Later in the day, others will gather in a sunlit studio on the Leland River. They will slowly stretch and listen for the messages their bodies and breath hold. Some practice yoga daily, some weekly, and some simply attend as often as they can. All appreciate the benefits they experience in a consistent yoga practice.
The yoga and wellness industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, reflecting a global shift toward health consciousness and the prioritization of well-being on all levels. That expansion is apparent here in Northern Michigan, where residents and visitors alike embrace a variety of yoga and holistic wellness practices as perfect complements to the healthy, active lifestyles they enjoy in our lush natural surroundings.
As interest in “whole-human” health continues to grow, local yoga studios and wellness guides are becoming valued resources on the path to better mental and emotional health, enhanced performance, greater life satisfaction, and a deeply nourishing sense of inner peace. And locals are benefitting from the expansion of services to meet their mind-body-spirit wellness needs.
“It warms my heart to experience the sacred teachings of yoga blossoming in Leelanau County,” says Jenna Fulton, a local farmer and dedicated yoga practitioner. “Yoga and its philosophy are my guide to understanding myself, and my relationship to—and role in—the world around me. It’s the missing piece that says, ‘Hey, this is why we are here and why we are suffering, and how we can overcome it to remember our innate divinity.’ I am infinitely grateful to yoga and I would be lost without it.”
“The depth of yoga is far greater than the joy of stretching and playing in our bodies,” Jenna adds, “and it’s absolutely never too late to start your practice!”
It’s never too late to come back to your yoga practice, either. Tom Devault, a former teacher, counselor and coach from Kalamazoo, took a 31-year break after beginning yoga in 1981 and eventually returning to it. “My yoga practice has thrived since moving to Leelanau County 10 years ago,” DeVault shares. “I began with classes at Yoga 4 in Lake Leelanau, then went through a yoga teacher training with Sandra Cardin and Kerry Satterwhite. My focus for the last 2+ years has been Ashtanga Yoga with Shelley Smith.”
“The yoga classes on the peninsula were somewhat limited a decade ago, although the teachers themselves were excellent,” he continues. “The expansion within the last couple years of variety and quality in Leelanau’s yoga classes is nothing short of amazing. And the new teachers in our area continue to be topnotch.”
When asked about the benefits he experiences from the practice, DeVault says, “My yoga practice has become a focal point in my life, challenging me both physically and mentally. It has also provided me with a sense of peace and spiritual awakening, more patience with myself, and feeling I am a part of a dedicated group of people who share a common goal.”
Connecting people with a common goal was also on the mind of Kat Palms as she collaborated with local yoga and wellness leaders to create the Leelanau Wellness Collective (LWC) five years ago, in the midst of COVID-19. “I saw an opportunity to create an online platform, and with the support of others we formed what is now the LWC.” The collective utilizes a membership model to gather various wellness practitioners and serves as both: a resource to connect the community with the holistic services they seek, and, a networking and continuing education opportunity for likeminded wellness practitioners.
“Another key aspect of wellness is the community you have around you,” Kat adds. “That’s the main reason the LWC is so important to me.”
Cultivating and supporting community is a common value among many yoga practitioners in the area; as we turn our attention inward and enhance our own mind-body connection, that sense of oneness naturally flows outward to meet our surroundings with greater presence and care. Beyond their yoga practices, Jenna and her partner Samuel are inspired to combine their love of food farming and community in their newest project Mother North, a community-inspired wellness initiative committed to nurturing the bodies, minds, and spirits of all beings by growing and sharing fresh produce and pantry staples.
The offerings of holistic wellness practitioners, yoga studios, and community-focused businesses will continue to expand in Leelanau County as residents seek new ways to manage stress, improve quality of life, and cultivate more meaningful connections with self and others while living in harmony with the natural beauty and abundance that surrounds us.
Have you discovered your own favorite yoga and wellness practices yet? You can find more information on some of the facilitators mentioned here, as well as a weekly listing of classes and events in Leelanau County at LeelanauWellnessCollective.com.
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